If you are either a container pro or are looking to start your journey with this particular technology, you’ll want to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. Although most container experts will tell you that the command line is the only way, that is not true. If you’re partial to graphical user interface (GUI) apps, there are options.

One such option is OrbStack.

OrbStack is a lightweight application that runs on macOS and can be used as a drop-in replacement for either Docker Desktop or Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). OrbStack allows you to run Docker containers, Kubernetes clusters and even Linux virtual machines (VMs) all from within a well-designed GUI. This app has been designed specifically for Apple Silicon (though there is a version for Intel-based Macs), so it can deliver the fastest performance with low resource usage. OrbStack also integrates with the Mac ecosystem, with features like auto domain names and dynamic file sharing.

OrbStack includes features such as:

• Kubernetes integration.
• Linux VMs.
• Optimization for macOS with deep integration into the native file system and networking.
• Custom-built virtual network stack built for speed and compatibility with VPNs, DNS settings and automatic HTTPS.
• CLI and file system integration.

Even better, OrbStack is simple to use, which means if you’re only now getting to know containers, it will make your life a bit easier.

Installing OrbStack

Installing OrbStack is simple. All you have to do is download the .dmg file (make sure to choose the one that works with your Mac’s CPU). Once the file is downloaded, double-click it and then (in the resulting window) drag the OrbStack icon to the Applications folder.

After the installation completes, open your Launchpad, locate the OrbStack icon, and click it to run the app. You’ll be prompted to verify the app, so just OK the warning to dismiss it and continue opening.

Using OrbStack

When OrbStack opens, you’ll be presented with a window asking you what you want to use (Docker, Kubernetes or Linux). Let’s go with Docker to simplify things. Click Docker (Figure 1) to start the process.

Figure 1. You can choose between these three options.

Once the container manager opens (Figure 2), it’s time to deploy your first container.

Figure 2. The OrbStack UI is well-designed.

Before you deploy your first container, you’ll want to pull an image. To do that, click Images in the left sidebar and then click the + button.

Let’s download an NGINX image. To do that, type nginx in the Image field (Figure 3) and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Figure 3. You can download an image with a specific tag; otherwise, it will automatically pull the latest.

Now that you’ve pulled the image, it’ll appear in the Images page.

Go to the Container tab and type nginx in the image field, give the container a name, and click Create and Start.

At this point, your container is running. Select your new container from the left pane and then click Terminal in the right. You should now find yourself at the command line interface (CLI) prompt for the running container (Figure 4).

Figure 4. We can now do terminal things with our container.

Say, for example, you want to install PHP for your new NGINX container. From within the Terminal pane, install PHP with the command:

You could install other packages in the same way. Maybe you need Node.js. For that, issue the command:

Maybe you want to launch a Linux VM. You might be thinking, “Oh, sure, that’s way too hard for me.” Thanks to OrbStack, it’s not.

Click on the Machines section in the left navigation, and then click New Machine. One very cool thing is that OrbStack will autopopulate everything for a Ubuntu VM, so all you have to do is click Create (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Click Create to autopopulate a Ubuntu VM.

OrbStack will take a moment to download the necessary bits. When it finishes, your new VM will be running. You can then click the Terminal tab and do whatever it is you need to do. For example, you could install a full LAMP stack with the command:

Allow the installation to complete, and you now have a running VM with a full LAMP stack that can serve as a development environment.

OrbStack is a great tool for getting up to speed with containers and VMs. I will say this: If you go to run a single-node Kubernetes deployment, you’ll find it considerably more challenging than you would running a Docker container or a VM. If you’ve ever toyed with Kubernetes, you already know that it is considerably more difficult than the other two technologies. Case in point, even the OrbStack Kubernetes documentation will have you shaking your head. This is supposed to be a simple-to-use GUI app, but the documentation points to Kubernetes deployments requiring the command line. If that’s the case, why include it in the first place?

Ah, Kubernetes, you were once so much easier to work with.

Regardless of the Kubernetes complications, OrbStack certainly makes working with Docker containers and VMs very simple.

You can use OrbStack for free, but only for personal use. If you need it for business or commercial use, you’ll have to pony up $8/user/month. If you need the enterprise edition, you’ll have to contact OrbStack for a price quote.

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